Tag: the Four Mainstays

My first introduction to open intelligence was during a second date with my partner Max around six years ago, the above picture one of our first together. Enjoying the beach and looking out into the waves, at some point he asked me to stop thinking, and check out what remained. I noticed that a bright alertness remained whether I was thinking or not, and I said, “Wow!”

Max regularly watched free videos offered on the Balanced View website, and it was all kind of scary and unfamiliar to me initially. I did not grow up with positive ideas or trust in organizations, having the concept tarnished by religious groups and extremists on one spectrum or the other. So, I concluded without investigation that it wasn’t for me and left it as “Some thing Max does” in my mind for a number of months.

At one point, Max sent me a video by a Balanced View trainer named Nina. He had casually sent me various other videos now and then, but I usually brushed them aside and “forgot to watch them”. Fortuitously, this time when he sent me this particular video, it was a quiet day at my job at the time and I had nothing else to do but watch. For the first couple of minutes I remained subtly skeptical and half-listening until Nina mentioned something that potently caught my attention and quite literally sat me up in my chair.

Intrigued and curious, I went on to watch every single one of her videos. I started to branch out and watch other trainer and participant shares, and see Balanced View was comprised of all different ages, backgrounds and experiences, yet sharing the same common focus of mutual empowerment and support to discover that in us all which is unchanged and unaffected by anything we experience in life. Wherever they came from or however old or young they were, they spoke with a relaxation, confidence and genuineness that I recognized and appreciated in a society where no one truly spoke or lived that way that I could see.

Although much of what was shared in the videos I watched was not yet my direct experience, I wanted to understand, and still enjoyed a natural relaxation evoked when watching. It was especially helpful for me to watch them when I was feeling afflicted by something; providing a space and permission to pause my obsessions and listen openly. While watching and letting my data be as it is, very often solutions and empowerment in affliction was realized naturally, and I understood further and more directly what was being offered in Balanced View.

We eventually joined clarity calls, and for the first little while, it could feel awkward as I wasn’t confident reading aloud or sharing my direct experience; not wanting to seem like I didn’t know something or whatever the fear may have been. I feel very lucky that I did not stop attending to avoid feeling certain data streams. We took an introduction training, where the trainers offered us the most gentle yet powerful introduction to innate open intelligence and provided the perfect support. To interact with trainers directly, asking them any questions I had, seeing their natural relaxation; it was all a total gift to behold and experience, and provided me more insight into why I wanted to participate. The natural ease and openness they spontaneously demonstrated could not be put on or contrived, and I knew instinctively that was possible in my life as well.

The 12 Empowerments training was an incredible experience to share with other human beings. There were participants of all ages living in various parts of the world, and I was so inspired by each question asked and share given. Things I was too afraid to ask, someone else would, and I would think, “THANK YOU! I wanted to know about this too!” It was a power-packed time together twice a week where I normalized so much data that I had been afraid to look at openly; becoming willing to see them as helpful pointers to relax and recognize open intelligence instead of seeing them as enemies that needed to be eradicated or avoided.

During and after the Empowerments, I had the great pleasure of more deeply getting to know community members from all over the world either via the internet or in-person at gatherings. Speaking to trainers and community members in person was another huge shift for me, and even more potent of a demonstration to see practically what it looks like for beings to be totally relaxed, open, and available right in front of my eyes. It is palpably noticeable when someone is not living at the whim of their data streams, and I found it so alluring, clarifying and encouraging to witness first-hand.

As the constant self-focus of how I was feeling and what I thought I needed to do or obtain in order to be okay faded, so much energy was freed up to be of service to others. Around the time of first discovering this, my mom had undergone a hip replacement, and it didn’t feel right to me that she should have to worry about her yard or house work while recovering, so I asked if there was anything I could help with. I was blown away by her gratitude and sweetness, and continue to enjoy that time with her often. I like to remember and embody my granny while cleaning the yard and house that she used to tidy and organize so well for all of us; my heart glows with her presence with every sweep of my broom. These are things that previously were not obvious to me, completely overlooking for so long what I already had and how sweet and complete life already was.

As I continued to utilize and enjoy the Mainstays in my life—the trainings and online media, my trainer, a community of friends, and short moments of recognizing open intelligence in whatever I was experiencing—I would suddenly realize in retrospect certain data streams that had caused me the most affliction had dissolved naturally like mist into air. Social awkwardness and anxiety that I tried to avoid by looking a certain way, speaking in a contrived confidence that wasn’t true, sharing only negative criticisms of others, and many other misguided tactics, was now a natural anticipation and excitement to simply enjoy another’s company and listen openly; not needing anyone to be a certain way for me to feel okay. Self-hatred or subtly never feeling good enough or that nothing I did was worth sharing was now thriving in and as my natural strengths, gifts, and talents, and sharing openly without the burden of feeling I had to prove something or fit in to some box. Depression, which had felt like the unwelcome and constant background hum of a florescent light—when it wasn’t a full-blown dark pit of despair—one day I realized was not a problem to feel, and then stopped noticing it altogether. These are just a few of many potent results I have experienced by participating in Balanced View.

My deepest, deepest gratitude to Candice, Max, and so many beautiful trainers and participants for introducing me to a life of the greatest freedom that just keeps getting more easeful, enjoyable, and fun. You show me what is possible and shine like the brightest stars in the sky, guiding me home. It is the greatest adventure and delight to participate in Balanced View, and I’d recommend anyone interested to test it out in your own life. I am so glad I did.